Top 10 Walt Disney World Christmas Trees

If you’ve visited any of the Disney Parks during the Christmas holiday season, then you know that Disney goes all out in decorating their larger-than-life Christmas trees. Each tree is customized to the park or resort where the tree is found, making them all special in their own little way. Not all are created equal and a little more thought went into some more than others it seems. During our recent trip a few weeks ago, we visited 18 different resorts plus all 4 parks, so I did thorough research to make sure I saw as many different trees as possible.

Here are my Top 10 WDW Christmas Trees.

My favorite Christmas tree is the Animal Kingdom Christmas tree found at the main entrance. The beautifully handcrafted ornaments (some are HUGE) really make this tree stand out from the others – I particularly like the lion. The best part of the tree though in my opinion isn’t the tree ornaments, but what surrounds the tree. Every year they place cute ‘toys’ and wooden cut-outs of your favorite animal characters, like Chip & Dale.

If you like a bit of nostalgia to remind you of your childhood, then you’ll love the tree found at Downtown Disney Marketplace near Once Upon a Toy. It’s covered in board game pieces and toys like Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head. The base of the tree is decorated with replicas of board game boxes. This is one kids of all ages are sure to love!

I’m sure everyone won’t agree on this one, but I love the Christmas tree at Wilderness Lodge. In fact, the whole resort is awesome if you want to just get away from the parks and have a nice spot to sit and relax in a ‘home-like’ setting. Being Native American, I like that they incorporate teepees and canoes to serve as ornaments on the tree and to represent a culture and people often forgotten. You’ll find a lot more Native American displays throughout the resort, so be sure to walk around and view these historical treasures while you’re there.

The tree at Magic Kingdom wasn’t up for us when we visited recently, due to Christmas Parade taping, so we didn’t get to see it, but I know that in the past it’s been impressive as well. Much like the Animal Kingdom tree, I think the best part of this tree is what lies below the tree. You’ll find a train set and wrapped gifts underneath. On the tree you’ll find rocking horses and gingerbread men adorning the tree, as well as classic ball ornaments. The Magic Kingdom tree is found inside the park right before you head down Main Street – it’s kind of hard to miss…

Although this one isn’t a traditional tree, I think it still deserves a spot in the Top 10. If you’ve visited WDW before during Christmas, then you know that they have larger-than-life Gingerbread displays at several resorts. The Contemporary ResortGingerbread Tree is always one of my favorite gingerbread displays to see. Imagine a 10 ft. tall (maybe taller) tree made of gingerbread…yup, it’s pretty awesome.

Animal Kingdom Lodge is a very beautiful resort even when it’s not decorated for Christmas, so it’s no surprise that their Christmas tree is just as stunning. You’ll find African inspired ornaments adorning this tree and much like the tree at Animal Kingdom, it also features the faces of zebras and other African animals as ornaments.

The Grand Floridian is just that, grand! And of course their Christmas tree must be decorated in the fanciest ornaments and décor. You’ll find the birdcages (after all, the resort is known for its birdcage elevator), but my favorite decorations on this tree are the intertwined swans.

Although this may be the last year that we’ll get to see these trees, the small uniquely decorated trees in Camp Minnie-Mickey inside Animal Kingdom are adorable. I counted at least 7 different trees, but I’m sure I missed one or two somewhere. You’ll find themed trees for Minnie, Mickey, Stitch, Winnie The Pooh, etc. My favorite is the Winnie The Pooh tree, so be sure to check them all out this year and let’s hope they bring them back next year, even if they’re located elsewhere!

The Disney Beach Club has a very cute tree decorated with lighthouses, golden sun medallions and of course, sailboats. Just seeing the tree makes you think of warmer weather and the beach, even if it is cold outside (which does indeed happen in December in Florida…). So head over to the Beach Club, check out the tree and of course, the motorized gingerbread/chocolate carousel they have every year.

Port Orleans French Quarter is a beautiful and tranquil resort, one of our favorites to visit in the evenings. Their tree is decorated with small masquerade ball masks and other New Orleans style ornaments. The lobby and entrance to the resort are also gorgeous at Christmas, so be sure to walk around the lobby area and main entrance near the bus stop to take in all that it has to offer.

You’ll probably notice that I left out the trees found at the entrance of Hollywood Studios and World Showcase in EPCOT. I don’t find the one at Hollywood Studios to be very festive and it’s never been one of my favorites. Maybe it’s the film strip that goes around the tree, I can’t really pinpoint why I don’t like it as much as the others. The EPCOT tree just seems to lack some character to me. The tree has large Christmas ornament balls that feature the flags of countries found in World Showcase, but that’s about it. The one thing I do like about the tree is the large angel on top that can be seen from anywhere in World Showcase.

If you’ve visited the parks during the Christmas holiday’s, what is your favorite Christmas tree and why?

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Jennifer made her first trip to Walt Disney World in 2009 with a friend and has been a Disney Addict and passholder ever since. When she's not planning her next trip, Jennifer works in marketing/communications/graphic design for a trade association and is also a professional photographer. Jennifer, her husband and fellow Disney Addict, Eric, and their dog Toby reside in Durham, NC.